Some public agencies would have to dispose of long-unused land

Covered public agencies would dispose of certain unused property. Sale contracts would require buyers to begin development, obtain all required construction permits, and start construction. Covered owners include school districts, state-chartered charter schools, public colleges, and other state political subdivisions. Covered areas are municipalities with at least 2,500 residents and unincorporated areas within five miles of their boundaries. Cities and counties would be exempt from mandatory disposal. Property must have been vacant or underused for at least five years, with no agency intent to use or develop it. Underused property has buildings or infrastructure that do not serve the agency's mission. Vacant property has neither and is not intended to serve that mission. Without a written extension, missing the requirements would return ownership to the agency free of claims against the property. The buyer would receive the original sale price, surrender its ownership interest, and shield the agency from claims arising from actions during the buyer's ownership. Buyers would have twelve months from the transfer of ownership to meet the development requirements. The proposal states an effective date of July 1, 2026, but no enactment is recorded.

Public agencies would submit property inventories to the Department of Finance and Administration and publish them on their websites. The department would publish all reports and monitor compliance. Reporting would cover cities, counties, school districts, state-chartered charter schools, public colleges, and other state political subdivisions owning property in municipalities with at least 2,500 residents or unincorporated areas within five miles of their boundaries. Searchable reports would identify each property's location, size, acquisition date, and use. For property vacant or underused for at least five years, agencies would give their plans and expected schedule or state that they have no plans. Inventories would be due by July 1, 2027, and every two years afterward. Annual monitoring would begin in 2027, with reports of noncompliance due to the New Mexico Legislative Council by October 1 each year.

The proposal would set aside $100,000 from the general fund for the Department of Finance and Administration to publish property reports online. The money would support the department's online publication of the required property reports. Money left unspent at the end of fiscal year 2027 would return to the general fund. The money would be available for spending in fiscal year 2027.